Temporary pedestrian walkway approved for closed sidewalk near La Salle Causeway

A plan is now in place to install a temporary pedestrian walkway that will allow access to Kingston’s La Salle Causeway.

The City of Kingston has approved a Department of National Defence plan that will allow pedestrians to get from Tragically Hip Way to the east side of the La Salle Causeway while repairs are being made to the crumbling historic wall at Fort Frontenac.

The city closed pedestrian access along the east side of Ontario Street from Tragically Hip Way to the La Salle Causeway because of the state of the adjacent Fort Frontenac wall.

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A recent assessment of the wall, which is over 175 years old, completed by the Department of National Defence found that it is in need of urgent structural repairs due to wear and tear from the recent freeze and thaw cycles over the winter.

The sidewalk has been closed since mid-April, pending an alternate route from the federal government.

The new route will close down the northbound lane of Ontario Street from Tragically Hip Way to Place D’Armes to allow a two-metre-long temporary pedestrian walkway to be installed.

WATCH: Fort Frontenac wall causing problems for pedestrians

2:06 Fort Frontenac wall causing problems for pedestrians

Northbound traffic will move to one of the southbound lanes. The plan will also keep transport trucks from making left-hand turns from Tragically Hip Way onto Ontario Street or right-hand turns from the Wolfe Island Ferry exit to Ontario Street due to the new lane configurations.

A news release from the city said that signage and new road markings will be installed to guide vehicles and pedestrians through the construction site.

CFB Kingston expects the pedestrian bypass will be completed sometime this month.

According to the Department of National Defence, the opening of the walkway will be determined once the bypass’ contract is finalized.

Nevertheless, CFB Kingston expects the bypass to be in place until at least November 2019, throughout the first phase of repairs to the Fort Frontenac wall.